Kenyans urged to embrace the use of NHIF in saving medical costs

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Nairobi, KENYA: Kenyans have been urged to acquire National Health Insurance Card (NHIF) in order to prevent them from the required financial medical expenditure.

In a media briefing in Nairobi on Wednesday, AMREF Global chief executive officer Dr. Gitahi Githinji stated that death rate is high in Kenya due to lack of cash incurred to facilitate medication.

“For Kenyans to acquire medication, they call for Harambee, not knowing that the money they use in cash in a hospital is quite more expensive compared to only ksh6,000 annually that they are required to pay for health insurance for all their family members,” Said Gitahi.

Gitahi added that, out of 50 percent of deaths in Kenya, 5 percent are related to children under the age of 5 years.

He pointed out that there are some challenges that result to early deaths like lack of medicine when needed, distance, culture and means, inadequate or poor skilled health workers and poor management of resources which are preventable.

He, therefore, urged the government to ensure that health centers are fully equipped with facilities and are available for it to benefit a common distanced Mwananchi.

“Treatment should start at the primary level base rather than waiting for it to reach the secondary level then you rush to a big hospital.” He added.

“The government should give everyone access to quality healthcare including prevention, Curative and palliative.” He stated.

AMREF report also indicated that 65 percent of death fall under the category of communicable diseases like maternal and perinatal conditions and nutritional deficiencies, which fall under the category of preventable as compared to 28 percent caused by noncommunicable diseases like cancer that is a bit complicated in terms of prevention.

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